TLDR/ There is a large gap created by the suspension and potential disappearance of US democracy grants. It amounts to roughly $2B per year. The EU will have to decide if it is able and willing to fill some of that gap.
2/ But some of the aid money has gone towards supporting democracy and that has been fully stopped. More specifically, ~$2B has been spent on democracy in the past 5 years, which represents roughly 3% of the $70B aid budget https://foreignassistance.gov/
3/ The $70B aid budget btw is only about 1% of the total US federal budget. It also includes some military aid; with top recipients in 2022 Ukraine & Israel. But I digress. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10183
4/ Democracy aid is small in comparison but meaningful on the ground. USAID and other USG agencies have been funding programs on election integrity, civil society, independent media, judicial reform, human rights, and good governance in past years. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44858/7
5/ Sorry for the old chart, the updated CRS report doesn’t include a new one (nor does it refer to democracy aid as “democracy promotion” anymore). But the numbers are comparable. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47890
As the problems in the world are too big too tackle all at once, Europe should first make sure Ukraine wins and second that Russia is moved out of Africa. Then we can spend time to settle the geopolitics and prepare for a broader democratic offensive. Currently we are too vulnerable for more.
Comments